Growth Tips for Businesses

A Sense of Desperation

By Fran Tarkenton | Mar 27, 2013

We are all going to experience failure and disappointment in our lives. The key to success, including in business, is reacting the right way. We all need that sense of desperation, that driving motivation to do whatever it takes to make it. We need to feel a little uncomfortable and use that as a spur.

Business Travel Basics

By Rick Gossett | Mar 27, 2013

A business trip is a good opportunity to do productive work for your business while earning substantial deductions. But it’s important to know the rules and limitations of deductions for business trips. You need to be aware of what constitutes a business trip, what things are deductible, and what you need to do to support your claims. You can combine business trips with pleasure trips, but be careful to ensure your trip still qualifies.

What is the Cost of Employee Turnover?

By Angela Cordle | Mar 22, 2013

Employee turnover is more costly than you think. Every businessman knows at some level that it’s easier for them if they can manage to keep their current employees than to need to find replacements. However, the cost of staff turnover is surprisingly high, and many small business owners don’t fully realize just how expensive it is to replace an employee.

Unique Selling Propositions

By Will Adams | Mar 21, 2013

When you start your business, you will probably be competing with a number of other companies. Why should customers come to you instead of them? The trick to setting your business apart is creating a Unique Selling Proposition.

Go for the Win-Win

By Fran Tarkenton | Mar 21, 2013

If a business owner were just thinking of himself or herself, then the business would never make it. Sure, things might be ok for a little while, but long-term sustainable success only comes when your business is focused on other people. Going for a win is not enough; you need the win-win.

Developing Entrepreneurial Employees

By Matt Tarkenton | Mar 19, 2013

In any business, the people we hire make a huge difference. The right people in the right spots at the right time can push you to new heights, while a bad hire can set you back. A great asset as you organize your business for growth is building around entrepreneurial employees.

Pinterest Tips for Small Business

By Harry Kierbow | Mar 15, 2013

For a small business owner, there’s no marketing like word-of-mouth marketing. When your customers are talking about your business with their friends, and bringing new customers to you, that is the most effective form of advertising—and the cheapest! And social media have the potential to function like word-of-mouth advertising on steroids.

Creating Top of Mind Awareness

By Will Adams | Mar 14, 2013

As a small business entrepreneur, your goal is always to find more customers. But when you are marketing your company and developing your business’s brand, you can’t just think about the short term and immediate effects; you have to consider the long term, too.

Building a Brand: How Three Successful Sites Did It

By Deborah Sweeney | Mar 14, 2013

At the beginning of the year, AG Beat released a very cool list of 60 brands to watch during 2012. Not all of their predictions were correct—KeepSum, which many thought would be the Groupon of real estate, has been offline for a few months now—but many of them were spot on. Three in particular—OpenCongress, Klout, and Pinterest—did so well during 2012 that they have now become household names. But what did they do differently than the other 57 brands, and how did they do it? What stars aligned to bring these three to the limelight?

When Less Is More

By Chris Barnes | Mar 8, 2013

When it comes to running a successful business, the things you do matter. But perhaps just as important are the things we decide not to do. Identifying what activities to put in each category helps productivity, efficiency, and overall effectiveness.